The news of Beltran’s signing is a welcome sight for Yankees fans who were angry that their team lost free-agent second baseman Robinson Cano to the Seattle Mariners earlier on Friday.

Beltran, 36, was one of the top free agents on the market after a brilliant 2013 postseason in which he helped the St. Louis Cardinals reach the World Series with a .268 average, two home runs, 15 RBIs, 15 hits and an .852 OPS in October. He hit .296 with 24 home runs and 84 RBIs in 145 regular-season games with the Cardinals.